Stories of gods and temples.
The origin stories of Kerala's deities and the histories of its temples — legends of creation and courage, of saints and rulers, and of the shrines that keep them alive.
Stories of the gods
Kurumba Bhagavathi
The Kodungallur temple, linked in local tradition with the Chera capital and with Kannaki of the Silappathikaram, holds the goddess as Kurumba, the fierce mother. Her Bharani festi...
Karthyayani
Karthyayani is the form of Durga born to the sage Katyayana, invoked in the Devi Mahatmya as the slayer of the buffalo demon Mahisha. She is the sixth of the Navadurgas and is wors...
Bhuvaneshwari
As the fourth Mahavidya, Bhuvaneshwari is the cosmic mother whose form contains all the worlds. She is worshipped with the Sri Yantra and the sounds of the three bijas, and is hono...
Rajarajeshwari
As Lalita, the goddess arose from the fire of the churning of the ocean and defeated Bhandasura with her Sri Chakra army. At Chottanikkara she is worshipped in both her fierce and...
Mookambika
The Kollur temple tradition tells of the goddess who killed the demon Mookasura and who blessed Adi Shankara. She is worshipped as a form of Parvati and as the source of the arts a...
Vanadurga
In Kerala's kavu tradition, Durga is honoured in her forest form at groves that are left uncut and protected. She guards the boundary between the village and the wild, and her wors...
Karinkali
Karinkali is honoured as Bhadrakali in her darkest aspect. At Kannenkavu in Malappuram, the Karinkali Pooram gathers ritual dancers painted black, embodying the goddess's furious p...
Karuppaswamy
Karuppu is honoured as a warrior guardian who stands at the entrance of the village and the temple, armed with a sword and a whip. In the Tamil and Kerala border traditions he is o...
Vamana
When Mahabali's rule became too proud, Vishnu took birth as the dwarf Vamana and asked for three paces of land. With two steps he covered earth and heaven, and with the third he pr...
Temple histories
Jenardhanan Swamy temple
Also known as Varkala Temple, it is dedicated to Vishnu as Janardanaswamy, locally called Varkaleswara. The shrine is one of the best-known pilgrimage stops of southern Kerala.
Kamaleswaram Mahadeva Temple
The temple serves the Kamaleswaram neighbourhood and follows the traditional Kerala pooja schedule.
Sree Vayillamkunnu bhagavathi temple
The shrine sits on the route to Cherpulassery and is one of the traditional Devi temples of the Valluvanad region.
Pariyanempatta Bhagavathi Temple
The temple and its precincts are often compared with the Mookambika temple at Kollur. Its annual festival remains a major gathering for the villages of Valluvanad.
Palakkavu Bhagavathi temple
The Edava Palakkavu Bhagavathi temple is one of the older shrines of south Kerala and holds its annual festival with traditional processions.
Meenkulathi Temple
Meenkulathi serves the Tamil-speaking villages around Pallassena and keeps a distinct ritual calendar influenced by both Kerala and Tamil traditions.
Mangottu Bhagavathi Temple
Mangottu Bhagavathi is regarded as the younger sister of Parakkattu Bhagavathi, whose temple stands nearby at Kavasseri.
Manapullikavu
Manapullikavu is closely tied to the agricultural calendar of the Palakkad plains and celebrates a large annual pooram.
Kadampuzha Devi Temple
The main deity is Parvati in the form of a huntress. There is no idol; the goddess is worshipped in a pit, and the presence of Ganesha is also believed to be felt at the shrine.